BRISTOL, R.I., June 2007 - In mid-June, three students from the Roger Williams University chapter of the ONE Campaign traveled to Washington with their club adviser to attend the national conference for CARE, the international humanitarian organization that served as one of the founding organizations of the ONE Campaign.

The conference sought to educate attendees on global conditions affecting poverty and the importance of giving women an equal voice. Among the 350 participants from across the nation were Roger Williams students Justin Cirisoli, Sarah Dallon and Patrick McHeffey as well as adviser Ericc Powell. From workshops on poverty and AIDS to sessions on gender-based violence and equality, the conference allowed groups to work together and even provided for regional group work.

On the second day, advocates stormed Capitol Hill to meet with their senators and congressmen to discuss CARE’s pressing issues. The Roger Williams University delegation teamed with six other Rhode Islanders to bring issues of global poverty, HIV/AIDS and education to the forefront of the politicians’ agendas. The students lobbied Congressman Patrick Kennedy in person and then met with legislative directors from the offices of Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman James Langevin.

“We were not only educated on the issues, and inspired, but we were able to put our ideas into action,” said junior Patrick McHeffey, president of the RWU One Executive Board. “And the effect it had on our congressional delegates was visible.”

The Roger Williams campus chapter of the ONE Campaign dates back to earlier this year when a group of students founded the branch in response to rocker/activist Bob Geldof’s appeal to take a stand against poverty and AIDS in Africa. The ONE Campaign seeks to collect 10 million support signatures by the next presidential election in an effort to call attention to its cause.

For more information on the organizations, visit www.one.org or www.care.org.